12-9 - Risky RISP success abandons Rangers in road trip opening loss to A’s

Texas came into tonight’s game hitting .312 BA with runners in scoring position which was the best in Major League Baseball. However, against Oakland, in the west coast road trip opener, the Rangers saw that fortune evaporate with just one hit in seven chances with RISP.

In total, the Rangers left ten on base and didn’t really string together their hits as A’s starter Chris Bassitt was able to navigate through the lineup for five innings in his first start of the season and get the A’s to their vaunted bullpen.

The fact of the matter is, the Rangers almost always play better at home than on the road — heck, most teams do. The Rangers also haven’t really had much of a chance to see what they’re going to be like as the visitor yet this season, having played just seven games away from Arlington now.

Needless to say, one run is almost never going to cut it unless your pitcher is tossing a shutout which is what Mike Minor did last time out. Tonight, however, Minor ran into a little more trouble and allowed four A’s runs in his six innings.

None of this should be surprising to anyone who has ever watched the Rangers play in Oakland.

Player of the Game: Patrick Wisdom collected the first RBI of his Rangers career with a pinch hit, run scoring double in the top of the seventh. However, that highlight came at the expense of Elvis Andrus who was the player Wisdom replaced after Elvis was hit by a pitch earlier in the game. :(

Elvis is apparently going to be ok at least.

Up Next: The Rangers will try to get back in the win column on Tuesday night with Lance Lynn set to make the start against RHP Frankie Montas for the Athletics. First pitch from Oakland Coliseum is scheduled once again for 9:07 pm CT.